Every year, at the turn of autumn and winter in Maolin District, Kaohsiung City, hundreds of thousands of purple crow butterflies arrive from the North to spend their winter. This forms a four-month-long ecological wonder which draws domestic and overseas visitors alike. You are now cordially invited to enjoy the scene of purple crow butterflies’ dancing all over the sky in Maolin. A butterfly valley like this is nowhere else to be found in Asia. It is even one of the only two overwintering sites for butterflies in the whole world. Why not take an ecological trip to Maolin and learn about the secrets of the overwintering of purple crow butterflies!
The 2016-2017 Purple Crow Butterfly Festival will soon kick off amid much fanfare on November 5, 2016, organized by the Maolin National Scenic Area Administration, Tourism Bureau, Ministry of Transport and Communications. Maolin Elementary School’s Rukai choir will sing traditional Rukai songs at the opening ceremony – earlier this year, the choir already touched the hearts of many with their resonating singing at the 2016 Taiwan festival @ Chatwood in Australia. For the first time, the Administration will launch 1-day tours with THSR. It will also offer a variety of 1-day and 2-day package tours with a number of travel agencies. On weekends, ecological guided tours entitled “Marking Butterflies” and “Exploring Butterflies” will be held, as supported by the Maolin Purple Crow Butterfly Conservation Association of Kaohsiung. Butterfly conservation events will be held alongside a Rukai butterfly conservation market. A total of 2,000 nectar plants called “Kusukusu Eupatorium” will be distributed to the public for free, to encourage conservation efforts. The Administration noted that environmental protection is a highlight of this year’s festival. Other than the aforementioned events, Butterfly Picnic Day, a farewell closing ceremony and accessible butterfly-watching tours will all take place. On weekends and holidays, free shuttles will run between Qishan Terminal Station and Duona Tribe in Maolin. Visitors may also make a guess of the dates of departure and arrival of purple crow butterflies to join a prize draw. The prizes include an iPhone 7. A harvest festival will be held in Duona Tribe in late November. The festival is Maolin’s most unique indigenous cultural event. Be sure to immerse in the tribe’s festive charm!
On November 5 at the Maolin Ecological Park, the Butterfly Picnic Day will be held to promote low-carbon tourism. The Administration will be sending out 200 traditional hunters’ lunch boxes which include “cinavu (steamed dumplings – indigenous style) grilled wild pork, baked sweet potato and steamed taro. You are cordially invited to join this fantastical picnic party where purple crow butterflies will dance around. For more information, please visit the Administration’s website at http://theme.maolin-nsa.gov.tw/butterfly2016/.